Stand for books and other articles

ABSTRACT

A stand having at least two vertical end frames each having a pair of tubular legs with the tubular legs each having at least one opening along its length to receive hook shaped extensions on a lower shelf to be supported between the frames and an upper shelf having means engaging the upper ends of the legs to secure the frames in engagement with the lower shelf and form a rigid structure.

United States Patent [191 Kovacik 1 May 22, 1973 [54] STAND FOR BOOKS AND OTHER ARTICLES [75] Inventor: Joseph Kovacik,Ardsley,N.Y.

[73] Assignee: National Wire Industries, Inc.,

Bronx,N.Y.

[22] Filed: Sept. 2, 1971 [21] Appl. No.2 177,404

[52] U.S.Cl. ..l08/l11,21l/l48,211/182 [51] Int. Cl. ..A47b 47/02 [58] Field of Search ..108/111, 59,159, 108/109, 110,10l;211/177,148, 182;

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 10/1961 Schulze ..108/159X 11/1962 Huff ..108/111 3,280,989 10/1966 Melvin ..108/59 X 2,799,401 7/1957 Duchin ..108/111 2,963,173 12/1960 Barnes ..211/177 3,063,571 11/1962 Stempler ..211/177 2,669,117 2/1954 Fuhrmann ..108/159 X 3,322,077 5/1967 Kovacik ..108/111 Primary Examiner-Francis K. Zugel Attorney-Eugene E. Geoffrey, Jr.

[57] ABSTRACT A stand having at least two vertical end frames each having a pair of tubular legs with the tubular legs each having at least one opening along its length to receive hook shaped extensions on a lower shelf to be supported between the frames and an upper shelf having means engaging the upper ends of the legs to secure the frames in engagement with the lower shelf and form a rigid structure.

3 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures STAND FOR BOOKS AND OTHER ARTICLES This invention relates to a stand for the storage and display of books and other articles, and more specifically to a novel and improved stand having at least two shelves which may be easily and quickly assembled by the user.

While many forms of stands have been designed for assembly by the user they have generally involved a rather expensive, complicated structure or required the use of nuts and bolts or other fastening means. The use of nuts and bolts not only renders assembly difficult, but often detracts from the appearance of the structure and extreme care must be taken in packaging to avoid the loss of the nuts, bolts and other small parts that may be required.

The stand in accordance with the invention overcomes the difficulties encountered with known stands intended for assembly by the user and provides a structure characterized by its simplicity, ease of assembly, and relatively low cost. Moreover, the need for nuts, bolts or other fastening means is completely avoided. These ends are attained by an improved arrangement of elements including a pair of vertically disposed end frames and at least two horizontal shelves with one shelf engaging the end frames and held in position thereon when said frames are in a vertical position, and another shelf engaging said frames to retain them in the vertical position. Any number of intermediate shelves may be utilized by providing such shelves with outwardly extending pins for engaging cooperating openings in said frames.

The above and other objects and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the following description and accompanying drawings forming part of this application.

IN THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a stand in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken along line 22 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 2 taken along line 3-3 thereof.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of a portion of a leg showing the manner in which the lower shelf is engaged therewith.

Referring now to FIG. 1, the numeral denotes a stand built in accordance with the instant invention. The stand comprises two frame structures 12 and 14 each having a pair of hollow tubular legs 16 and 18 which may include caps 20 on the lower ends thereof.

As shown, each frame structure is provided with cross braces 22 permanently joined, as by welding, to the tubular legs 16 and 18. The cross braces 22 complete the frame structures and give the necessary rigidity to the tubular legs.

A plurality of shelves 24, 26 and 28 are positioned between the frame structures and adapted to engage the tubular legs as more fully described hereinafter.

Tubular legs 16 and 18 are provided with openings 30, 32, which are vertically spaced from each other. The openings 30 in the tubular legs are spaced equally from the lower end of the frame structure. Shelf 28 as shown is formed of metal rod 34 formed into the shape of a rectangle and to which rods 36 are permanently secured to the underside thereof by conventional means such as welding or the like. Rods 36 extend beyond the ends of the shelf and terminate in hook shaped extensions 40. These extensions 40 are insertable into openings 30 as shown in FIG. 4 and the shelf is then moved to the phantom position shown in FIG. 4 to securely anchor the extension in the tubular leg (FIG. 3). In this way, shelf 28 is securely anchored to the tubular legs as long as the frame structures 12 and 14 are maintained in a vertical position as shown in FIG. 1.

To hold the end frames 12 and 14 in the vertical position, the shelf 24 is secured to the upper ends of legs 16 and 18. Although shelves 24 and 28 are shown positioned at widely spaced positions on the frame structures, it is to be understood that they may be positioned closer together as long as sufficient support is provided to maintain the desired geometry of the stand 10.

Shelf 24 consists of a rectangular metal frame 42 having two rods 44 secured thereto. The ends of frame 42 carry knurled connectors 46, each of which has an enlarged head portion 46 and a knurled shank 47. The shank 47 has a diameter sufficiently large to frictionally engage the interior wall 48 of the associated tubular leg. When inserted into the tubular legs the shelf 24 will secure the top of the frame structures in spaced relation to each other and at the same time hold the shelf 28 in position.

Although only two frame structures with two tubular legs per frame structure have been illustrated, it is to be understood that any number of frame structures and tubular legs may be used. In addition, while only two shelves have been described, additional intervening shelves may be used. The only requirement is that the upper and lower shelves be anchored to the frame structures in the manner illustrated.

The third shelf 26 is similar to the other shelves in that it has a rectangular frame 50 and longitudinal rods 52. As shown, rods 52 have straight extensions 54 which simply engage openings 32 in the tubular legs as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. The extensions 54 need not be hook shaped since this shelf is held in position when the frame structures are in the vertical position, and this function is provided entirely by shelves 24 and 28. Any number of shelves similar in character to shelf 26 may be used.

Upon erection of the stand as described above, each shelf 24, 26 and 28 is provided with a relatively rigid insert 56 of wood or other sheet material (see FIG. 1), which in the case of shelf 24, fits within the rectangular frame 42 and rests on the longitudinal rods 44. Similar inserts may also be provided for shelves 24 and 26.

Many modifications of the preferred embodiment described above may be made by those skilled in the art. Therefore, it is intended to cover all such modifications which fall within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the claims appended hereto.

What is claimed is:

1. A stand comprising at least two vertical end frames positioned in spaced parallel relationship, each of said frames having at least two tubular legs each of which having at least one opening therein adjoining one end thereof, a first shelf having hooked shaped means extending from the ends thereof for engagement with said openings by tilting the end frames relative to the shelf to engage the hooked shaped means so that the end frames when in their vertical positions lock the shelf in position therebetween, and a second shelf including downwardly extending means extending into and en- 3. A stand according to claim 1 wherein each of said tubular legs are open at at least one end thereof, said upper shelf has a plurality of downwardly extending cylindrical connectors thereon, and said connectors have roughened surfaces frictionally engaging the openings in the ends of the tubular legs. 

1. A stand comprising at least two vertical end frames positioned in spaced parallel relationship, each of said frames having at least two tubular legs each of which having at least one opening therein adjoining one end thereof, a first shelf having hooked shaped means extending from the ends thereof for engagement with said openings by tilting the end frames relative to the shelf to engage the hooked shaped means so that the end frames when in their vertical positions lock the shelf in position therebetween, and a second shelf including downwardly extending means extending into and engaging the other ends of said legs to maintain said end frames in their vertical positions and affix the last said shelf to said end frames.
 2. A stand according to claim 1 wherein said tubular legs are each provided with additional openings, and at least one other shelf having a plurality of extensions thereon engaging said additional openings.
 3. A stand according to claim 1 wherein each of said tubular legs are open at at least one end thereof, said upper shelf has a plurality of downwardly extending cylindrical connectors thereon, and said connectors have roughened surfaces frictionally engaging the openings in the ends of the tubular legs. 